Corrosion and/or oxidation damage protection for tunnel junctions
US9685201B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jun 20, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N50/10
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system according to one embodiment includes a magnetic structure having a tunnel junction, and a controller and logic integrated with and/or executable by the controller. The logic is configured to reduce a local relative humidity in a vicinity of the tunnel junction by passing a current through the tunnel junction for at least a period of time that the tunnel junction would otherwise not have a current passing therethrough. A method according to one embodiment includes determining a relative humidity in an environment of a tunnel junction that is part of a magnetic structure and selecting an operating current from a range of allowable operating currents based on the determined relative humidity. The selected level of the current is high enough to heat the tunnel junction to a temperature which reduces a local relative humidity in a vicinity of the tunnel junction.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.